Skirt blocker



H KIRTLEY SKIRT BLOCKER Feb. 28, 1939.

Filed Nov. 26, 1937 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 28, 1939 UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to a blocking device for knitted garments, and in particular relates to a blocking device for knitted skirts. Knitted garments and especially those made by hand, must be blocked after knitting in order to impart to the garment the proper configuration or shape for wearing. A knitted skirt, for example, after being completed is dampened and is then laid in shape and pinned on a flat surface (such as a carpet) to dry.

The present practice, as above, is quite inconvenient and it is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide a frame unit upon which a knitted skirt may beeasily blocked to shape; the frame unit being designed for ready adjustment, both in width and length, as well as arranged for disassembly when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my frame unit in assembled position and as used.

.Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the lower portion of the frame unit, illustrating I particularly the construction of the lower cross member unit and the manner of adjustably securing the same to the side rails.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, my skirt blocking frame unit comprises a pair of side rails I disposed in spaced relation, these side rails converging toward their upper ends and being of a length greater than that of a. knitted skirt. The rails are relatively thin and of substantially greater width than thickness for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Theside rails are held in such spaced relation by upper and lower cross member units, indicated at 2 and 3 respectively. Each unit is disposed adjacent but inwardly of the corresponding ends of the rails, the lower unit 3 being of greater length than the upper unit 2 so that the rails will have the same general flare as a skirt. As the construction of both the cross member units and manner of mounting the same on the side rails is the same, a description of the structure and manner of mounting of the lower cross member unit (as shown in Fig. 2) will suffice for the purpose of this specification.

Such lower cross member unit comprises a pair of slats 4 disposed in face to face and overlapping relation. Each slat adjacent the overlapped end thereof is formed with a lengthwise row of spaced holes 5, one of which is adapted to register with one of another row of similarly spaced holes 6 in the other slat. Pegs l removably extend through the registering holes, the peg normally being held in place by metallic sleeves 8 which slidably engage the overlapped slat portions.

The side rails l are longitudinally slotted from their inner edge, as at 9, for a certain distance, these slots receiving the outer or free ends of slats 4 therein. Rows of spaced holes I0 extend through the side rails lengthwise of the slots 9 and a pin II removably projects through one hole of each row and a registering hole I2 in the corresponding slat end. Holding yokes l3 surround the side rails l and are disposed over the pins I l to prevent escape thereof. These yokes are bolted, as at 14, in removable connection with the adjacent slat.

By reason of the above arrangement the length of the upper and lower cross member units may be increased or decreased, and the spacing between units adjusted as desired. The frame unit may thus be adjusted to block a skirt to any selected length, width or flare; such being limited, of course, only by the extent of adjustability of the device.

Fabric sheaths l surround both the upper and lower cross member units, such sheaths being elongated but rectangular and thick pieces of cloth surrounding the units and pinned together at the engaged side edges thereof along the inner edges of the corresponding units as shown at I6. Each sheath should be of a length equal to that of the corresponding cross member unit when fully extended, and when the unit is reduced in length, the ends of the sheath may be turned in.

In use, the frame unit is adjusted to the desired skirt size and then the dampened knitted skirt to be blocked is slipped over the frame from its narrow end to the position as shown in dotted lines at ll in Fig. 1. The upper edge of the skirt is then carefully pinned to the fabric sheath of cross member unit 2 and the lower edge to the fabric sheath of cross member unit 3. As indicated in Fig. 1, the lower edge of the skirt must be pinned on an are extending downward from side rail to side rail so that when the skirt is dry and is removed from the frame unit, the skirt will hang even all about. From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the devise, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A skirt blocking device comprising a frame unit including a pair of spaced side rails converging toward one end, a pair of cross members of different lengths disposed in longitudinally spaced relation between the side rails, said side rails being slotted longitudinally from their inner edges for a certain distance adjacent the ends of the cross members, there being rows of spaced holes extending through the side rails lengthwise of the slots, the adjacent ends of the cross members being disposed in the slots and each said ends having a hole registering with one of the adjacent row of holes, removable pegs extending through said registering holes but not projecting beyond the outer faces of the side rails, flat holding yokes closely surrounding the side rails and overlying the peg ends and means removably securing the inner ends of said yokes on the cross members. HAZEL KIRTLEY. 

